Loader



A. D. HEATH Feb. 15, 1944.

LOADER Filed Oct. 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

ATI'D R N EYB A D. HEATH Feb. 15, 1944.

LOADER Filed 001;. 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. flrcher Z7. Heath.

A. D. HEATH Feb. 15, 1944.

LOADER Filed Oct. 6, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR. Heath flroh er 1?.

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Patented Feb. 15, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .LOADER Archer D.Heath, Gowrie, Iowa Application October 6, 1942, Serial no. 461,009

4 Claims. (Cl. 214-140) This invention relates to aloader of a generalpurpose type and has for an object to provide a loader in which the armsof the fork are attached to the tractor at the rear axle so that allforward push on the fork is from the rear axle and not from a pointforward on the tractor.

A further object is to provide a loader in which there are two arms forthe fork on each side of the loader forming a rigid frame associatedwitha cross piece just back of the fork so that there will be no sidesway inthe structure.

A further object is to provide a device of this character in which thefork is maintained horizontal in all positions and may be stopped anddumped from any point between the ground and its upper limit ofmovement.

A further object is to provide apparatus-of this character which will beformed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will beinexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists ofcertain novel details of construction and combinations of partshereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood thatvarious modifications may be resorted to within the scope of theappended claims without during all positions of their liftv movement andthe bars I! remain vertical during all positions of the lift movement ofthe arms in.

The bars I! are provided at the upper ends with rearwardly extendingarms l8, see Figure 3, which extend at a right angle to the bars I?andare connected at the rear ends by a cross bar l9, this structurepreventing any sidesway of the lift arms :0. The bars H and arms l8 arebraced by departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the Iadvantages of the invention. J

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a loader constructed in accordance withthe invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the loader shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view showing the latching means of thefork, the same being shown in latched position to hold the forkhorizontal.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing the latching means inunlatche'd position to permit the fork to dump.

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1showing the latching means in rear elevation.

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2showing the brake for stopping iift of the fork. I

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of referencedesignate similar parts in the various views, the loader comprises apair of superposed parallel arms l0 adapted to extend end on an invertedU-shaped bracket 25, see Figlongitudinally on either side of a tractorll, each pair of arms being pivotally connected at the rear ends torespective vertically disposed bars l2 which have formedintegral-therewith horizoninclined braces 20. v

The prongs 2! of the fork are pivotally mounted near the rear ends on apivot rod 22 which forms the pivotal connection of the lift arms illwith, the bars l1. At the rear ends the prongs are provided withextensions 23 disposed in rear of the pivot rod 22 and extending at aright angle to the prongs. The extensions 23 bear against the cross barI9 when the prongs of the fork are in horizontal position and it will bepointed out that the prongs remain in horizontal position its height ofthe fork when the fork is latched in operative position.

The latching mechanism of the fork comprises a bar 24 which is pivotallymounted at the upper ure 5, carried by the cross bar I 9, through themedium of a pivot pin 26 as through the bracket and through the upperend of the bar. The lower end of the bar is equipped with a roller 21which engages an abutment 28 in the nature of a flat plate which extendsabove and parallel with the rear ends of the prongs 2| of the fork.

A rock shaft 29 is journaled in bearings 30 carried by the cross bar l9,see Figure 5,and is equipped at one end with a crank 3| which is engagedin an U-shaped keeper 32 secured to the rear face of the bar 24. Theouter end of the rock-shaft is equipped with .a crank 33 which isconnected to a trip cord 34. A helical spring 35 is connected to thecrank 33 and is connected to one of the bars 11 to normally hold theroller of the arm 34 in engagement with the abutment 28 to maintain thefork in latched operative position or receiving a load and elevating theload. When the fork is to be dumped the trip cord 34 is pulled to swingthe rock shaft 29 and disengage the bar 24'from its Theoperativeposition shown in Figure 3, and'move the same to its released position,shown in Figure 4, to permit the fork to swing downwardly under theinfluence of gravity and dump the load.

The fork is elevated through the medium of cables 36 which are attachedto the lowermost lift arms ill, see Figure 1, and are thence trainedupwardly over idle pulleys 31 carried at the upper end of posts 38 whichextend from the front end of the tractor and are braced by inclinedbraces 39. The cables are thence trained rearwardly and wound upon drums40, see Figure 2, secured on the ends of a power driven shaft 4!, whichis geared to a power take-off shaft 42 driven from the tractor motor andcontrolled by a conventional clutch 43 which is controlled by a handlever 44, see Figure 2. The driven shaft 4| is housed in a housing 45which is integral with the housing 45 for the gears which connect thepower take-off shaft to the driven shaft.

The fork may be lifted to any desired height by clutching the drivenshaft to the power and may be stopped at any desired height bydeclutching the driven shaft from the power.

To hold the fork at any point of its lift movement a brake wheel 41 issecured to the power take-off shaft 42 and'is equipped with a brake band48, see Figure 6. The 'brake band is anchored at the bottom to a bracket49 which is bolted to the gear case housing 46, see Figure 1. The freeends of the brake band are secured to pins 50 carried by a lever whichis connected to a link 52 carried by a rod 53 which is integral with abrake lever 54, see Figure 6. The brake lever is provided with a stubshaft 55 which is iournaled intermediate its ends in one of the framebars 56 of the tractor. Between this frame bar and an integral disk 51on the lever 54 a fiber disk 58 is sleeved loose on the shaft 55. Ahelical spring 59 is engaged on the stub shaft and bears against theframe bar 56 and against a stop washer 50 on the shaft to hold the disk51 of the lever 54 in frictional engagement with the fiber disk 58 tohold the hand lever in adjusted positions.

When it is desired to stop the fork at any desired height the powertake-off shaft 42 is declutched from the power by'operating the lever 44whereupon brake band 43 is applied to the brake wheel 41 by operatingthe lever 54.

From the above description it is thoughtthat the construction andoperation of the invention will be fully understood without furtherexplanation.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a tractor having a rear axle housing and a,power take-off shaft, of a pair of superposed parallel lift armsextending longitudinally on either side of the tractor, verticallydisposed bars to which the rear'ends of respective pairs of the liftarms are pivoted.

horizontally extending bracket arms integral' with the verticallydisposed bars bolted to the axle housing, vertically disposed bars towhich the front ends of each pair of superposed lift arms are pivotallyconnected, the last named vertical bars being provided at the upper endswith rearwardly extending arms disposed at a right angle to the bars, across bar connecting the rear ends of the rearwardly extending armspreventing sidesway of the lift arms, a fork having prongs, meanspivotally connecting the prongs near their rear ends to the lift arms,extensions on the prongs disposed in rear of the pivot means extendingupwardly at a right angle to the prongs, said extensions bearing againstsaid cross bar when the prongs of the fork are in operative position,latching means for the fork carried by said cross bar, a trip cord forreleasing the latching means to permit the fork to dump, a transverselydisposed shaft carried by the tractor connected to the power take-offshaft to be driven by the power take-off shaft, drums onthe transverselydisposed shaft, cables on the drums connected to the lowermost lift armsnear the front ends thereof, uprights on the front end of the tractorcarrying pulleys over which the intermediate portions of the cables aretrained, and brake means carried by the tractor for holding the powertake-off shaft stationary when the power take-off shaft is disconnectedfrom the power to hold the fork at any desired height of its liftmovement.

2. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the pivotal means of thefork comprises a pivot rod extending transversely of and connected tothe lowermost pair of lift arms at the front ends of the lift armsconnected to said prongs andspaced from the rear ends of the prongs.

3. The structure as of claim 1 and in which the latching means comprises,a bar pivotally connected at the upper end to said cross bar, a

roller on the lower end of the bar, an abutment extending rearwardlyfrom the fork engaged by said roller to hold the fork in latchedposition,

a rock shaft carried by the fork, a crank arm on one end of the rockshaft, an. elongated keeper on said bar receiving the crank arm fordislodging said bar from said abutment when the rock shaft is turned,and a crank arm on the other end of the rock shaft connected to saidtrip cord.

4. The structure as of claim 1 and in which said brake means comprises abrake wheel connected' to the power take-off shaft, a brake band on thewheel connected intermediate its ends to the tractor, a lever connectedat spaced points to the ends of the band for tightening the band on thebrake wheel, and manually controlled means for actuating said lever.

ARCHER D. EEA'I'H.

